Nature's Law
by The Yaoi Saint
Summary: If love were easy, they'd call it alchemy.
1. Prologue

OK, I made a couple of small edits. Nothing major. FMA doesn't belong to me.

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Russell Tringham was hunched over a notebook, scribbling notes and equations from a book that had just arrived from Central. It was past midnight, but he had no intention of going to bed anytime soon. There was too much to be done, too much to be learned from this new text. He wanted to at least finish looking through the current chapter before he succumbed to his drooping eyelids and give his aching fingers a rest. 

Belsio's farm had become even more productive with the help of Fletcher and himself. With their hard work, the farm was providing enough fresh fruit for the whole town of Xenotime. Even though it was only a small reparation for what he had done, Russell felt a sense of fulfillment doing this work. He could see in Fletcher's eyes that his younger brother was just as happy.

At the thought of his younger brother, Russell couldn't help but smile. While Russell's talents lay in research and theory, his younger brother was far more talented in the actual practice of alchemy. Fletcher was one of the most promising young alchemists of his time. Some were even comparing him to Edward Elric, especially those who wished for the younger Tringham brother to become a State Alchemist.

As his thoughts turned to the short (Ed would kill him for even thinking that) alchemist, Russell's thoughts grew more clouded. The day six months ago, when his brother and he had been the last two people to see Edward Elric still haunted him. The unanswered questions were foremost in his mind. Al's appearance and loss of memory concerning his brother and him, what exactly happened down that staircase, and where Ed had gone were all questions that weighed heavily on Russell's mind as he worked, or rather, tried to work. Russell noticed he had stopped writing an equation that was halfway done. He yawned and stretched in his chair before shaking his head, as if to shake the thoughts out of his head. However, the thoughts remained.

The thoughts of Ed were the hardest to get rid of. He could still see him walking down the staircase in the church. He could smell the stale air that emanated from below the altar. But, most of all, he could hear himself screaming after Ed, hoping he would hear. 'Come back to us, now… Come back to us alive!' Even now, six months later, he couldn't say exactly why he had yelled after Ed. It was true that he had felt obligated to help him, especially after finding the page in their father's journal. That discovery had led to a frenzy in Russell. He _had_ to get that page, that information, to Ed. When he had seen Ed again, he quickly fell into teasing him about his height, almost as if they had been childhood friends and he had been doing it for years. They weren't, but that was the connection he felt with Ed; a peer, a comrade, maybe a friend even.

But, he had lost that friend. He couldn't even talk to Al about what happened, and it haunted him. Memories of Ed had been filling his dreams lately; especially the scene of Ed descending the staircase. He was beginning to wonder if he was obsessed with the young man he had impersonated. It was possible. He had done his share of research to make sure that things went smoothly when he introduced himself as Edward Elric. He had been wondering what would happen if he actually met the real thing for weeks before he saw the real Ed for himself. That had to be the reason Ed's disappearance haunted him. He had spent so long trying to be Ed he had become obsessed with him.

'If that was so, why did I yell out to him? With him gone, I could have gone back to being Edward Elric,' Russell thought to himself, 'No, I couldn't have done that. I looked up to him too much. Well, not looked _up_ to, but I really respected him.' Russell suddenly caught himself. He was referring to Ed in the past tense, as if he were gone. He had never done that and for some reason his heart was caught in his throat. For the past six months, he believed that it was a disappearance. That someday, Ed would just come back with that cocky grin and he'd probably still be just as short as ever and just as much fun to tease. But, there was a very good possibility that the "someday" would never come. For some reason, that thought scared Russell. 'Why? Why am I feeling this? I only met him a few times and the first time we were fighting each other. Why can I barely hold my tears back at the thought that he's dead? It's as if I lo-' Russell's thoughts stopped in a dead track. The pencil he had been holding absent-mindedly clattered to the floor. His eyes widened as the realization of what he felt flooded over him. His only response broke the dead quiet of the study.

"Oh shit."

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	2. Chapter 1

Instead of studying for my Physics test tomorrow night, I edited this so it was suitable for posting. So, I hope someone appreciates this. ETA for the next chapter is by the end of the month. It's February so there are minimal distractions (aside from the University of Michigan Men's Basketball team's annual February suckfest) to keep me from writing. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. FMA does not belong to me.

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Russell Tringham rested his chin in his hand as he looked out the window of the train headed from Xenotime to Resembool. He could see into a valley where the trees were in their annual autumnal explosion of reds, yellows, and oranges. He glanced across the small compartment to see his brother stir in his sleep, smiling as he dreamed. Russell exhaled, trying to exorcise the butterflies that were fluttering in his stomach, even though they were more than half a day away from their destination.

The destination had Russell in a state of emotional chaos. Ever since his revelation nearly two years ago, he had been thinking about what would happen if Edward Elric ever did come back. He had hoped for his return as much as he dreaded it. 'That was the nature of being in love.' he mused 'It was almost easier with him gone. At least I didn't have to worry about it so much. Like what if I just run up and hug him as soon as I see him tomorrow?' Russell had to laugh at that thought. Fletcher was much more likely to do something like that. 'No, it's much more likely that I'll ask a million questions that Ed won't want to answer. And I don't think he trusts me enough to tell me anything about the past two and a half years…'

Russell sighed as he thought about this fact. As much as he hated to admit it, Fletcher and he were on the outskirts of those who associated themselves with the Elrics. His only hope was that after all this Philosopher's Stone business was over, the Elrics would choose to become closer to the only alchemists who were close to them in both age and (relatively speaking) ability. Still, it was something that they were invited to the "Coming Home Party" that was being thrown by Winry Rockbell and her grandmother.

Winry was an interesting topic of Russell's thoughts. While he had never met the girl, he knew a few very important details. First, she was Ed's automail mechanic. Second, she was a childhood friend of both Elric brothers. From those two points, if anyone could be called his "rival" for Ed's affections, it was she. As far as Russell had figured, his best chance was for Winry and Al to be in love, leaving Ed for someone else to snatch up. 'That someone being me, of course,' Russell smirked at the thought.

The smirk quickly gave way to frustration, however, as reality quickly set in. 'Ed probably doesn't like guys,' being the main point against his hope of winning the Fullmetal Alchemist's heart. 'Besides that minor detail, the two of us are really well-suited for each other. We're both alchemists. We're both _very_ good-looking,' Russell smirked again at this thought, 'And the few times we have met, we both tease each other like we've known one another for years instead of only days.'

"You're thinking about Ed again, aren't you, Russ?" Fletcher asked, causing Russell to jump in his seat.

"Fletcher," he gasped, catching his breath from the unexpected interruption of his thoughts, "I didn't hear you wake up."

"You're dodging the question," Fletcher replied as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yes. Yes I am."

"So, you were thinking about him," Fletcher smiled at him.

Russell didn't feel like dignifying his brother with a response. It seemed that the younger Tringham had gained the same teasing streak that Russell had. This had been especially true since Russell had told him about having feelings for Ed.

* * *

_Russell found himself waking up at his desk, again. He could smell his brother cooking breakfast. He smiled as he could smell the bacon, the eggs, and most importantly, the coffee. Russell stumbled into the kitchen as Fletcher finished cooking their breakfast, somehow grabbing a mug, filling it with coffee, and adding his preferred amount of sugar without opening his eyes. As he sipped his coffee and tried to rub out a crick in his neck after sleeping in an unnatural position at his desk, he suddenly remembered the previous night's train of thought._

_'Oh shit… I'm in love with Edward Elric. That can't be right. It just… can't be right. I was just tired. Very, very tired. Besides, what was it that made me think I loved him? Oh, right, the fact that he might… not… be… coming back… Shit. That makes me feel even worse than it did last night. I guess I could be… Fuck it… I **am** in love with Edward Elric. Now what do I do…'_

_He looked up to Fletcher as the young boy said something he missed. He blinked a couple of times to try to bring himself back to the present. "Hm?" he grunted._

_"I was asking if there was something wrong?"_

_Russell had to close his eyes and laugh to himself at the question 'No, nothing wrong. Nothing wrong at all. I just figured out I have romantic feelings for another guy.' He opened his eyes again to look at Fletcher who looked genuinely scared of his brother. It wasn't like Russell could blame him. He had just woken up at his desk, his knuckles were white from gripping the coffee mug so hard and he was laughing to himself. 'Yes, I am the picture of sanity." Russell thought to himself._

_"Wh-What's so funny, Russell?" Fletcher asked in a shaky tone._

_Russell finally gave his brother a response. "I'm in love."_

_"Oh? Who is she?" Fletcher's eyes brightened in response._

_"Edward Elric."_

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"How did you know I was thinking about him anyway?" Russell asked, quite annoyed at Fletcher's sudden mind reading ability.

"Whenever you think about him, you're always detached from reality. You go into a thousand-yard stare and you seem like you're barely aware of where you are and what you're doing?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you remember when you watered the same tree for nearly an hour last week? What were you thinking about?"

Russell did not care to go into detail about his fantasies involving the FullMetal Alchemist with Fletcher. Besides, 'nearly an hour' was an exaggeration. It was thirty minutes, thirty-five tops. "Sometimes I think you're too smart for your own good," he replied.

Fletcher laughed before he threw arm around his brother's shoulders. "It's ok, Russ. You know I just want to see you happy." Fletcher said as he smiled at Russell.

"I know you do, Fletcher. I just wonder if it's even possible."

"Well, it's a lot more possible now that it was about a week ago. At least now you can see him. Talk to him. Kiss him…"

Russell threw his brothers arm off before glaring at him, "Yeah, like I'll get a chance at that. If I tried, I'd probably be lucky to escape with my life." He then turned back to the window and crossed his arms and legs while staring out the window again.

Fletcher laughed, satisfied with his brother's response as he opened up the door to their compartment. "I'm gonna go get us something to eat, OK?"

"Fine," Russell responded without turning from the window.

Fletcher shook his head has he closed the door. However, Russell could still hear his younger brother mutter, "So touchy…" as he walked down the corridor.

Russell let out a sigh as his thoughts returned to his unlikely love interest. 'I'm not mad at him for teasing me. I just don't want to get my hopes up. That way, it might not hurt as much when he rejects me.'

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_Review Responses:_

_ShadedRogue: Thank you for the review. I am happy I was able to open your eyes to the Gospel that is Ed/Russ. Also, you get points for the successful use of the word "Shazam" Very nice.  
_

Random True Statement: Garmin had the best Super Bowl commercial, narrowly edging out the Snickers commercial.


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